If the third overall pick is moved, and Jim Nill has made it clear he’s open to doing so, I think it’s part of a deal for a roster player. It may not be a one-for-one deal, but it could be part of a larger package that helps the Stars land a position of need.

And it’s a long list of potential trade partners. It really is a wide-open draft after the first two picks and if a team has a specific player in mind that they want after Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier, the Stars No. 3 pick would be the ideal way to make that selection.

@seanshapiro i heard Nill's audio and i was wondering if there is actually serious consideration of moving out of #3,& if so,what could we get in return?

At this moment I don’t think Nill has initiated calls about any specific players, rather conversations have started about the No. 3 pick and Nill has put out feelers to figure out who might be available.

I think Nill will start to get aggressive with trade offers around the end of May and start looking for a right wing or defenseman as part of a package deal for the No. 3 pick.

@seanshapiro Do you think Rous has made himself trade bait with his play at Worlds?

Antoine Roussel was a potential trade chip before his showing at the IIHF World Championships.

A hard offer never came across the table, but there were conversations during this past season from other teams about Roussel. He could have been a nice addition to a team in the playoff picture and I know one Eastern Conference team in particular was close to making an offer.

Roussel’s showing at the World Championships have only made him more valuable on the open market, if the Stars wanted to trade him.

Ultimately I think Dallas holds onto the French forward and tries to move Cody Eakin via trade before the expansion draft.

@seanshapiro Nathan Beaulieu is an RFA and sat out MTL's final playoff game. Is he worth monitoring as a potential lefty shot D-Man acquisition?

Miro Heiskanen could be the better long-term player and I believe he could turn into a top-pairing defender in the NHL at some point.

Noah Hanifin, however, would make the Stars a better team next season and could be a key cog in a dynamic defense on the left side. He’s only 20 and has already played 160 career NHL games, and I think he could take major strides under Ken Hitchcock.

If you could get Carolina to accept a straight-up trade for Hanifin for the No. 3 pick I would pull the trigger. It would be a move that would help the Stars immediately and in the future, since Hanifin is only going to get better as he progresses in his career.

@seanshapiro Will the Stars buy out Niemi and keep Lehtonen as Bishop's backup?

It’s a deal that heavily favors Vegas and I would rather buy out both Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi rather than make this trade.

I would keep all options open, but I think Lehtonen could actually play well in a back-up role next season. He’d be playing in lower-pressure situations and wouldn’t be asked to play in those high-stress, big-game moments that have been an issue in the past.

Joonas Korpisalo has a nice future as an NHL goalie and could be a good fit in Dallas with Ben Bishop.

The issue that I run into with that is the timeframe of Bishop’s contract and making sense of the deal long-term.

Korpisalo will be 29 when Bishop’s six-year contract expires and Korpisalo will want a starting job before that time. While it could be a good one-two punch this season, Dallas could be setting itself up to lose Korpisalo in free agency in a couple years.

@seanshapiro What do you think Val asks for in a contract if he is to return this summer? And is Sharp gone?

Valeri Nichushkin would likely be looking for something in the $1.5 to $2 million dollar range if he was to return to the NHL this summer. The Stars would obviously like to be on the lower end of that spectrum and Nichushkin hasn’t earned that large of an NHL contract in my mind.

Also, I just don’t see a fit for Patrick Sharp to be back with Dallas next season.

@seanshapiro Please convince me that trading a 3rd for Darling and 4 years would not have been a better deal than a 4th for Bishop and 6 years.

I can’t convince you of that. Personally I would have made the deal for Scott Darling, it was shrewd and effective move by the Carolina Hurricanes.

However, there are a couple other factors we have to consider. Darling isn’t a proven starter, while I believe he’ll be an elite NHL goalie with Carolina, there isn’t any hard proof he’ll turn into the goalie many think he’ll become.

His numbers were great in Chicago, but he played primarily in low-pressure situations and being the back-up is much easier than being No. 1.

Bishop’s number’s last season took a dip, but he is a proven starter and I think he could still play at an elite level for two or three years.

Ultimately that’s why Jim Nill made this move. The Stars believe, rightfully, they are just a couple moves and a better defensive system away from being a contender in the Western Conference. They are closer to that status with Bishop and will have to deal with the long-term contract consequences in three or four years.

There is also the cost factor. The Hurricanes acquired Darling’s rights for a third-round pick in a trade that sent a potential No. 1 goalie to the other conference. The Blackhawks and Stars have been trade partners before, but I would imagine Chicago would try and squeeze a bit more out of a Central Division rival.

@seanshapiro who do you think Stars pick with 3rd pick? (assuming they keep pick).

I don’t think the Stars will be in on Kevin Shattenkirk. I think Shattenkirk wants to be a No. 1 defenseman somewhere and the Stars are committed to grooming John Klingberg into that player on the right side.

I think they will take a look at unrestricted free agent defensemen Karl Alzner and Brendan Smith. Both are defensively-sound defenseman and could help Stephen Johns to form a reliable and physical third pairing.

@seanshapiro Hey Sean, best guess as to whether Stars add a D-minded Dman like Alzner or prefer another puck mover? Curious about Hitch's stamp on this

Players like Smith and Alzner could help hide some of the defensive deficiencies of the Stars other defensemen. For example, I think Julius Honka would be paired well with Dan Hamhuis, it would be a good combination of creative freelancing from Honka and reliable positioning from the veteran.

@seanshapiro Tough question considering the expansion draft, but in your opinion, what is the Dallas Stars lineup on opening night?

The Stars are looking at individuals with past ties to Hitchcock. I know one of Hitchcock’s former players has been approached about coaching in Dallas, but he has opted to stay in his current position.

For names, let’s take a look at the next question…

@seanshapiro Thoughts on potential return of Rick Wilson? Who might benefit, who perhaps not?What about Curt Fraser and his potential return?

One key to the success of the Ken Hitchcock hiring is having assistants that can handle Hitch.

Working with Hitchcock isn’t easy. He’s difficult and pushes players, but he also wants his assistant coaches to fight him and defend their opinions. You have to understand who calls the shots, while juggling standing up for yourself at the same time.

Rick Wilson has experience with that, and that experience would be valuable for the coaching staff.

On Curt Fraser, he’s still in the conversation to be an assistant coach.

I don’t know if that’s the smartest decision and I know Fraser receives ample vitriol from fans. But for argument’s sake, I’m going to make the case for Fraser.

Fraser is a good offensive coach. He’s one of the forefathers of the power play drop pass entry and it’s become an effective tool for several NHL teams. The biggest issues isn’t the drop pass, it’s the overuse of the drop pass. Opponents started adjusting to the drop pass and Dallas didn’t make any adjustments.

With adjustments it could become an effective weapon again. If other teams have another entry to defend, the drop pass becomes much more effective. And maybe, while working with a head coach that believes in in-game adjustments, Fraser’s system would work well for the Stars next season.

@seanshapiro Mailbag: D man rotation hurt chemistry. Nemeth never given much of a chance. Always liked him. Can he thrive under Hitchcock?

From the minute I got the NHL beat in Dallas I was welcomed and accepted by the media contingency. Mike Heika and Mark Stepneski have been great sounding boards and it’s a duo that I’m happy to share a press box with.

Having familiarity with the players went a long way. Many of them graduated from the AHL and the Texas Stars, so in a way it just felt like I was on the same beat but in a different location.

I also have to thank my readership. The reader interaction is one of my favorite parts of the job and this mailbag is one of my favorite weekly projects.

What do I miss most about the greater Austin area?

For a while it was access to good paddle boarding spot. But I may have remedied that after I found the lakefront access at Lake Lewisville in Little Elm.